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21 March 2013

I thought this sign was very appropriate for today. My husband, Kirk and I are celebrating our 32nd anniversary. Our journey together as a couple and as a family has been one filled with great joy. I look back to where 'we' began and remember how lucky I was to have met Kirk. It has been greater than I ever could have imagined. Today, of all days, I want to tell him that he is still the one I would choose to give my heart to.

The pictures below are from two very special wedding days. The first one is of my attendants on my wedding day. The next one is from my daughter's wedding day. I was very fortunate that they were able to be in attendance at her wedding and I had the photographer take a picture of us with my daughter, Kirsten.

17 March 2013

Jim
Sanders at Hidden Genealogy Nuggetswebsiteandbloghas created the Genealogy by the States blogging prompt,
suggesting that bloggers write about an ancestor or one of our families that
have a connection to that state. Each week a different state is featured.
This week's state isNew York.

Michigan history is filled with settlers who came from the state of New York looking for work in the lumber, mining, furniture and automobile industries. New York was a big migration state to Michigan.

It comes as no surprise then that I have a few ancestors from the state of New York. Six of my paternal, third-great grandparents spent some time in the state of New York.

Samuel Stillman Glover spent his early adult years in Phelps, Ontario, New York. He can be found in the 1820 and 1830 U.S. Federal Census records in Phelps. He purchased property in Ontario County in the 1820's. He migrated to Michigan for a few years, then moved to the Monroe County, New York area where he lived until his death. He is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York. Samuel's parents, Alexander Glover and Sarah Salisbury lived in Phelps, New York. They are buried in Josyln Cemetery, Phelps, New York.

Vinera Powers Glover, the wife of Samuel Stillman Glover, lived in New York and then moved to Michigan with Samuel and their children. Five of Samuel and Vinera's children were born in New York: William P., Samuel W., Sarah E., Alanson D., and Dennis H. Vinera died in Michigan at age of 44. Her burial place is unknown at this time. Vinera Powers father, William Powers, served in the War of 1812 for New York.

William G. Dyer was born in New York on 8 February 1814. He moved from the New York City area to Cazenovia, Madison, New York before 1850. William G. Dyer migrated to the Adrian, Lenawee, Michigan area between 1850-1860, where he lived until his death in 1875.

Mary Ann Swallow, wife of William G. Dyer, was born in New York in 1817. William and Mary Ann's five children were born in New York: Adaline L., George, Sarah, Mary, and William B.

Samuel B. Poor migrated to Michigan from the Steuben County area of New York. He can be found in the 1830 U.S. Federal Census there. Samuel came to the Washtenaw County area of Michigan around 1837. Samuel's parents Moses A. Poor and Elizabeth Barber died in Steuben County, New York.

Eleanor Begole, the wife of Samuel B. Poor, married Samuel before 1826 in New York. Their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Poor, my second great grandmother was born in New York. Eleanor's parents Thomas Jefferson Begole and Ann Matelda Nancy Bowles lived in Wayland, New York in the first half of the 1800's.

13 March 2013

Marriage announcements can be rich in details for a genealogist. While the announcement below doesn't give a lot of facts that a genealogist likes to find in such announcement, it does give a very nice accounting of the marriage. The writing gives a detailed picture of what the ceremony was like. Now, if I only had a picture of the bride and groom as I have a picture in my head of the bride's dress from this accounting. The article even tells what gift the groom gave the bride, a Knabe Piano.

Walter Stillman Glover married Helen Hunt in Jackson, Michigan on 25 October 1897. The ceremony took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Fuller. Further research revealed that Mrs. Fuller was Helen Hunt's mother. Walter Stillman Glover is the youngest son of Samuel Stillman Glover, Jr. and Adaline Dyer, who are my second great grandparents.

The house was beautifully decorated with chrysanthemums and palms. The ceremony was witnessed by about 75 guests. At 7:30 the young couple took their position in front of the bay window. In place of the usual march, Mrs. Louis Boos, Mrs. Ed Boos, Misses Nora Hunt and Lotta Tucker sang the bridal chorus from Lohengrin. Miss Harriette Hunt presiding at the piano. The bride wore a handsome gown of tan taffeta silk trimmed with light blue silk and rose-colored velvet. Following congratulations a choice collation was served, Mrs. Dunlap catering. Many handsome and valuable presents were received by the bride and groom, including a Knabe piano from the groom. Mr. and Mrs. Glover left on the evening train for the east, after which they will go to Milwaukee to reside, where Mr. Glover is connected with the Bernhard Stern & Sons' flouring mills as traveling salesman. The bride has resided in Jackson nearly all her life and her many friends will regret her removal from the city.

Those in attendance at the wedding from out of the city were: J. G. Utterbach, Rochester, N. Y.; W.W. Knaggs, Bay City; Frank Roudentush, Albion; Mrs. Willard Matteson, Cincinati; Charles Zang, Battle Creek; and Victor Hawkins, Jonesville. Regrets were received from Denver, Milwauke, Owosso, Boston, New York and other points.

11 March 2013

While trying to identify the parentage of my third great grandmother, Vinera Powers Glover, I decided to research the family of her sister, Mary Ann Powers, who married Charles Williamson Glover. Charles Williamson Glover is the brother of Vinera Powers husband, Samuel Stillman Glover. This research led me to Charles and Mary Ann Glover's son, Henry P. Strong Glover. Henry P. Strong Glover is a fascinating research subject, whom I look forward to writing more about.

One of the reasons he is fascinating to research is because of the numerous records found for Henry P. Strong Glover. He was born in 1837 and died in 1912. Henry P. Strong Glover became quite the citizen of Ypsilanti, Michigan during his 74 years of life. He served as Mayor of Ypsilanti, President of a few companies, and Vice President of Ypsilanti Savings Bank becoming wealthy in his endeavors.

One of the benefactors of this wealth was the University of Michigan. Henry P. Glover donated the DeCriscio Collection of Latin inscriptions. Henry P. Strong Glover donated a collection consisting of over 250 inscriptions on marble, brick, lead pipe, etc. The earliest piece is from the time of Augustus in the fifth century. Henry donated this collection to the University of Michigan in 1899.

News of this donation was reported from Vermont to Michigan to North and South Dakota. One of those reports is below:

Valuable Collection Presented to the University of Michigan by Henry P. Glover.

Henry P. Glover, of Ypsilanti, Mich., has presented to the University of Michigan the De Criscio collection of Latin inscriptions. Sig. De Criscio is a resident of Pozzuoli, near Naples, Italy, and has for 40 years been collecting the inscriptions found from time to time in that locality. The collection includes more than 250 inscriptions on marble, besides a few upon brick, lead pipe and other materials. They range in age from the time of Augustus to the fifth century A. D. Part of the inscriptions have been published by Prof. Walter Dennison, of Oberlin college, who was formerly on the Latin staff of the University of Michigan, and who called attention to the historical and archaeological value of the collection.

07 March 2013

Coloma, Michigan Apartment 1979

Satellite view of Coloma Michigan Apartment 2013 from Google Maps

I had done it! I successfully completed my semester of student teaching and I was so close to graduation I couldn't believe it. I just had to finish six more credit hours at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I needed to decide where I was going to live while completing my coursework. I was contemplating a move back to Kalamazoo when the guy I was dating suggested moving to his hometown, Coloma, Michigan, which is 40 miles from Kalamazoo. I checked into the course schedule and realized I could take my classes on Tuesday and Thursday. So, I decided to commute and found myself living in Coloma in 1979.

Coloma is a small city in the area known as the Fruit Belt of Michigan. Orchards of cherries, apples, peaches and more can be found in the fertile farmlands of southwest Michigan. Summertime brings activities at Paw Paw Lake. My boyfriend owned a boat and we would go out on the lake, he would water ski and I would soak up the sun while someone else drove. Winter is a time for snowmobiling, which I did and actually enjoyed riding with others on trails to a number of small towns in the area.

I rented an apartment on Wetherford Terrace in Coloma. It was a one bedroom, one bath, living room, kitchen and dining area place. I lived on the ground level with sliding doors to a small patio that overlooked a wooded area. It was the first place I could call my own. I felt so grown up. My boyfriend still lived with his parents (that should have been a clue of what was to come) which was outside of Coloma.

I decided to substitute teach until school was out for the summer and was able to get quite a few jobs in the nearby town of Watervliet. I loved teaching at Watervliet. I substitute taught in the Junior and Senior High School. The students were wonderful and the staff made me feel welcome. On one of the first days I taught I ran into a teacher from my high school, Miss Pizer.

It sounds like it was a marvelous experience and for the most part it was. I commuted to Western to finish my degree and worked as a substitute teacher. It was during this time that I started having leg cramps, I contributed it to the tennis class I was taking. Then I got sick and I couldn't shake it. Looking back on it I believe this was the start of my thyroid problems, but the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with me. I trudged on and eventually graduated from Western in August of 1979.

I spent the summer applying for a full time teaching job and working a part time job at a local diner. September came without a job offer so I went back to substitute teaching. I had a couple of long term sub positions and was able to pay my bills. My health was better, but not great. I was gaining weight and couldn't figure out why.

September also brought a marriage proposal. I thought I was in love and immediately said yes. We set a wedding date for October of the following year. I started making wedding plans. It wasn't until December of 1979 that things started falling apart. I went home for Christmas and my boyfriend wasn't happy that I didn't spend Christmas with his family. I came back to Coloma after Christmas and brought my younger brother and sister back with me. My boyfriend and I had made plans to take them snowmobiling and spend lots of time having fun with them. I get back to my apartment and my boyfriend stops by and asks if he can talk to me in the bedroom. He broke up with me right then. I was devastated, but also ticked off that he did it in front of my sister and brother. Needless to say it was a crappy getaway for them. I drove my sister and brother home and made plans to return to Coloma and substitute teach until I found a full time teaching position.

My dad would call and try to convince me to move home and substitute teach. He said I could live at home rent free and wouldn't have the expenses I had living in Coloma. I didn't want to move home, I thought that would make me a failure. Eventually, his persuasion won me over and I moved back home. It was the best decision I ever made for a couple of reasons.

One, the first day I substitute taught I met a fifth grade teacher that I would eventually date, fall in love with, marry and have children with, Kirk. And two, I found a doctor who diagnosed me with thyroid cancer. Moving home allowed me to stay on my parents' medical insurance, thankfully.

I learned a lot while living in Coloma and the experiences I had there shaped me as a person. But, the move from there brought me more joy than I ever thought imaginable.

03 March 2013

Jim Sanders at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets website and blog has created the Genealogy by the States blogging prompt, suggesting that bloggers write about an ancestor or one of our families that have a connection to that state. Each week a different state is featured. This week's state is New Hampshire.

The shifting state boundaries has made researching New Hampshire an interesting challenge. The boundary between Massachusetts and New Hampshire wasn't defined until 1741. New Hampshire gave land grants to land that was claimed by New York and that land eventually became Vermont. Present day boundaries were defined in the mid 1700's. New Hampshire became a state in 1788.

My New Hampshire ancestry is from the Poor-Santclare line of my family. The earliest record I found for my New Hampshire ancestry was in 1767.

Family Search has the New Hampshire, Marriage Records 1637-1947 online and a record of Moses Poor and Hannah Santclare (indexed as Santetar) marriage was found on 31 March 1767 in Hampstead, Rockingham, New Hampshire. Moses Poor served New Hampshire as a Private in Captain Elisha Woodbury's Company and Colonel Jno Stark's Regiment in the American Revolution. He was killed at Bunker Hill in 1775. Service records can be found in the New Hampshire State Records (see link below).

According to the New Hampshire Probate Records, Volume 38; pages 438-439, George Santclare (St. Clair) left a will dated, 10 April 1767. He lists his daughter, Hannah Poor, and son Moses Poor. The New Hampshire Probate Records includes the complete transcription of this and other wills.

Family Search.org has New Hampshire, Birth Records, Early to 1900's, where I found my fourth great grandfather, Moses Augustus Poor, born 27 January 1768 in Atkinson, Rockingham, New Hampshire to Moses Poor and Hannah Santclar.

01 March 2013

Over 470 posts later and I am still at it. I started writing "Journey to the Past" on March 1, 2010. Today marks my third blogiversary.

I wasn't sure I would last for three months let alone three years. I have learned a lot during these past three years. I have wonderful readers who help me when I pose a question. My readers are always there to add information to what I have written. I am very thankful for all of you who have supported me in my blogging pursuit.

Another generous group is the geneabloggers group. Little did I know when I wrote that first blog post that I would find such a wonderful group of people to associate with. No matter what the question is, I have found supportive people to help me. I am truly grateful for that. I have met other geneabloggers at conferences, meet ups, and workshops. I am proud to be a part of it.

My blog has evolved through the years and I imagine it will continue to do so. The first year I was all over the place. I wrote my own family history posts, wrote about tips, technology, genealogy software, and local history. It was a hodge-podge of information.

The second year I tried to hone my writing skills and concentrate on telling family stories. I shared pictures and documents that I had found. I tried to concentrate on blogging about my ancestors. I didn't write as much about the other aspects of genealogy.

This past year I really paid attention to my writing and sourcing of family history material. I think I have finally found a balance between blogging and researching. Blogging has definitely made my research better. I even felt comfortable enough to start a second blog,"Journey to His Past". Ay yi yi! What was I thinking? I know what I was thinking and it was kind of selfish. I didn't want to share my blog with my husband's ancestors. I wanted a separate place to record the research I had done on his family.

What will Year four bring? I don't know, yet. I hope it will continue to bring new found cousins. I have been in contact over the past three years with a lot of cousins. I have gotten a family Bible, lots of pictures, stories, and more information than I dreamed possible. I only hope that I have been able to give back to those who have helped me. I hope it will bring more geneablogger friends that I can learn from and grow as a family history writer. Those connections are what makes blogging fun.

One of my worries that first week of March in 2010 was that I would not find enough to write about to keep a blog going. I haven't had that problem, yet. I look forward to sharing many more stories with you and thank you all for continuing on this journey to the past.

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MGC

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